Lovers' Secrets
by Outcast4Ever
Summary: Sofia has a secret. So does James. But when they tell, everything seems to be going right. They never expected everything to go wrong. And they certainly didn't expect Amber to just run off like that, either. Would they have their happily ever afters? Rated T to be safe, especially in later chapters. Will not pass a T rating. Sofia/James shipping and Amber/OC background shipping.
1. Prologue

Sofia wakes with a scream, a cold sweat on her forehead and tears clinging to her eyes and cheeks. A ten-year-old James runs in not even five minutes later, eyes wide and searching for danger. When he finds none, he moves over and sits beside her.

"Are you okay?" he asks, wrapping her in a one-armed hug.

She swallows her tears and shakily nods. Okay, yes. She would live. She looks over at Clover on his soft purple pillow and carefully picks him up, running her fingers through his short gray fur.

"Are you sure, Sof?" James asks, voice full of worry for his little sister.

She goes to nod again, then moves a little closer to him. "I think so?" she offers.

He frowns, then brushes her hair from her forehead. He's silent for a moment as he thinks on what could help.

"Come on, let's see if we can get you some tea," he says softly, moving off the bed and offering her his hand.

Sofia sets Clover back on his pillow and takes the offered hand. "Thanks, James," she says quietly.

He smiles, a warm, comforting gesture. "Anything for my beautiful sister," he answers with a very light blush that would have gone unnoticed if she hadn't been fully alert from her nightmare.

She blushes as well, starting out of the room. They would go to the kitchen and she would make them both tea, and then... And then she would try her hardest not to wake James again. Once the nightmares came, they wouldn't stop the rest of the night. He needed his sleep more.

* * *

The tea was very soothing, surprisingly, but she was still on high alert. Just very, very tired. James leads her to her room afterwards, watching her carefully. Then they go into her room and he tucks her in. As he goes to leave, she catches his hand.

"Would you stay with me?" she asks softly, blushing again.

He looks confused for a moment before he nods and climbs into bed beside her. "I'll stay right here until morning," he promises, wrapping his arms around her in a loose embrace like her mother used to when she had nightmares.

She smiles and moves a little closer. "Thanks, James," she whispers, kissing his cheek before closing her eyes and going back to sleep.

He smiles. "You're welcome, Sof," he murmurs, kissing her forehead before doing the same.


	2. Chapter 1

Seven years later, the situation isn't much different. Sofia tosses and turns in bed, trying to sleep through the nightmare. It's not working.

She wakes with a whimper instead of a scream and glances to the empty pillow where Clover should be. Except her friend was no longer part of the world. She supposed this was part of her trouble.

She purses her lips and gets out of bed, sliding on her slippers. Tea. Tea would help. She ties her lavender silk robe around her slim waist and brushes the stray bangs from her eyes, her soft brown hair done up in a braid like every night to save her some work in the morning when she brushed it out.

After making sure no one was around, she quietly made her way down to the kitchen. Chamomile should do the trick, with maybe a bit of milk and sugar just to sweeten it.

Sofia smiles as a memory of her first time trying tea comes back to her as she brews her individual cup. The tea had been absolutely disgusting, far too bitter for anyone to enjoy and just plain horrid. James, however, taught her the trick to perfect tea.

No matter the flavor, if you added a little bit of milk or cream and a cube of sugar it would taste wonderful. Granted, she usually added two if the brew was meant to be more bitter. Even having grown up in the village she had an affinity for sweet things, so it was understandable she didn't much like the taste of bitter tea.

What breaks her out of her thoughts is the fifth minute of whistling from the kettle. She blushes as she realizes she had let herself get caught up on other details beyond the tea and takes the kettle off carefully, pouring her single cup.

Sofia sighs. She would have to let it cool for a few minutes, and steep so it tasted right. As she waits she gets out the cream and sugar, then loses herself in another memory.

It was, as most memories were, about James. Another of those times he had helped her out. Times that seemed so common to her, and were retaliated by her helping him as well. She was forever in his debt, though. He had helped her countless times with her nightmares. So many times she would never be able to pay him back.

She sighs again, shakes herself out of the reverie of her first flying derby tryouts and finishes making her tea. An experimental sip tells her that while it's a bit cool it's just right otherwise, and she soon finishes the cup.

She takes the extra five minutes to clean up her mess and relax a little more. As she puts an empty kettle on the stove, a chill runs down her spine and she freezes. She whirls around to see nothing there. But she hadn't imagined the shivers.

Sofia pulls her robe tighter around her and makes a possibly rash decision. If she was going to have this kind of night, she needed her best friend, the love of her life.

Without warning she starts running through the castle until she reaches where two different wings branch off. One belonging to her and Amber, which would be solely hers in less than a year if Amber's number of suitors was any indication, and the other belonging to James, both with a few extra rooms for any friends that decided to come over.

She checks the halls again before turning right instead of left and heading down a very familiar corridor, one she more often traversed in the darkest hours of the night.

She slips into his room quietly, shutting the door with a nearly silent 'click' and smiling just slightly. She moves to the empty side of the bed and unties her robe, hanging it from a small hook in the bedpost. Afterwards, she slips off her slippers and sneaks under the covers.

Sofia moves closer to the other occupant of the bed, wrapping her arms loosely around him. He opens his eyes, dark jade meeting sapphire, gives a nearly imperceptible nod, and returns the gesture.

Needless to say, she had no trouble sleeping the rest of that night. Just like every night she was in his arms.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Okay, I might have gone into a bit of a ramble with the memories, but whatever. The next chapter is going to be a bit short, but there ware longer ones later to make up for it, promise.**_


	3. Chapter 2

James was very reluctant to get up completely the next morning, going so far as to get up and lock the door to his room before going back to bed. But not back to sleep. He couldn't sleep. Not with the love of his life like this.

Last night after she came in had been hard enough. But this was becoming more and more normal an occurrence. It frightened him, to say the least. Worried, even, was a better word in some cases.

The fear in the gems of her eyes had kept him up, too worried for her to even think of the action of sleep. Instead he had held her close and rubbed her back, something that had become as natural to him as breathing over the years. And while he slept not a wink, she slept soundly afterwards. That was good enough for him.

He holds her closer to him, kissing her forehead. They had to find a way to figure out her nightmares, find a way to get rid of them. Something that didn't involve sneaking around and lots of secrets.

Something...

He smiles ever so slightly. He would have to do some reading up on the subject, but it was something he should know anyway. What better motivation than love?

Sofia yawns softly and blinks open her eyes. "Good morning," she whispers, smiling just enough that it causes his heart to skip a beat. Just like it always did when she smiled.

"Good morning, Sof," James returns softly, giving her a quick kiss. "What would you like to do today? We have the day off from lessons, after all."

She smiles a little wider. "How about cuddling, then a picnic?" she asks, kissing his cheek.

He smiles. "Perfect," he breathes. _Just like you._

* * *

 **A/N: I know it's short, and I'm sorry. There will be longer chapters later I promise. I just have a lot going on in my life right now, have for a while, so I'm not really writing a whole lot in this story beyond the chapters I have right now. I don't want to ruin this story with my personal crises right now. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. :)**


	4. Chapter 3

Sofia sits on the large garden swing, watching butterflies dance around the flowers on both the ropes and the ground. The nightmares had stopped. For now. She couldn't be more thankful, even if it was temporary. At least now she could enjoy her sixteenth birthday like she should. Like any princess should.

She sighs in content and looks down at her amulet. Oh, how she missed talking with Clover on a daily basis. In fact, all of her animal friends were long gone. She had made new ones over the years, and she did still have Minimus, but he was older now and she didn't ride him anymore.

She hears a rustling from a flower bush and drops down off the swing, kneeling. "Come on out," she coaxes gently, holding out a hand.

A young gray bunny that was maybe a year old and just like Clover in appearance hops out from a nearby cluster of roses and she smiles. The bunny even had a soft pink ribbon tied around her neck in a bow. So many memories came back to her then, and she carefully picked up the rabbit.

"Are you Sofia?" she asks softly, whiskers twitching.

"Yes," Sofia answers quietly. "Who are you?"

"Rose," the rabbit answers with a smile. "Look up."

Sofia does and sees James kneeling in front of her, on one knee oddly enough, and smiling. She sends him a confused but happy smile, then catches something sparkling in the ribbon. She undoes the bow carefully, a gold ring inlaid with sapphires falling into her palm.

"Will you marry me?" James asks.

She looks up at him, at his sincere smile, and tears of joy fill her eyes. It was such the perfect way to propose, and she didn't know why he was doing it since they would have to marry in secret and he might have to take another wife later on. She didn't care.

"Yes," she whispers.

He holds out his hand and she gives him the ring before he slips it onto her finger. "The perfect fit," he says softly to himself, then he smiles and gathers her into his arms. "Happy birthday, Sofia."

She laughs softly and wraps her arms around his neck. "Thank you for the best present ever," she whispers, kissing him quickly.

His smile widens. "You're welcome, my love."

She sighs happily and presses closer. "You know, I don't even care that this has to be a secret," she says after a moment of content silence.

He kisses her hair. "You're wrong, Sofia," he murmurs. "It doesn't have to be a secret anymore."

She looks up at him in shock. "What do you mean, James?" she asks quietly. This... This could be the best birthday surprise of her life.

He smiles reassuringly at her. "According to Enchancian law," he says softly, "we can get married legally and you can be my Queen."

Her eyes fill with tears in an instant and she hugs him tighter. Yes, definitely the best birthday surprise ever. She could stay just like this, perfectly happy for the rest of her days. She had a new friend in Rose, and she'd never have to be alone and scared ever again.

"What are we going to tell Mom and Dad?" she asks as the realization that this had been a secret for three years hits her, and they suddenly had an engagement to announce.

He frowns for a moment before his smile returns. "The truth. The whole truth and nothing but the truth," he says softly. "They'll understand. It's not like we just decided to get married so we wouldn't be apart. They'll see that we really love each other, as more than brother and sister."

Sofia grins and kisses him with barely reserved passion, fingers tangling in his hair. It was wonderful. Perfectly, utterly wonderful, she realizes as he returns the kiss. She couldn't have asked for anyone better than him to fall in love with, to be engaged to. She couldn't ask for anyone better to be her husband.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Yes, it's actually legal in a real country to be married to your stepbrother or stepsister. England, to be exact. You'd be surprised how extensive their marriage laws are...**_


	5. Chapter 4

James stands before his mirror, trying to get his bowtie straight. He had always had trouble, but now he refused to let the servants help him with it. He was seventeen going on eighteen! He didn't need help straightening a bowtie!

A knock sounds on the door and he groans softly. "Just a minute!" he calls, untying the ribbon-like piece of fabric and throwing it onto his bed in exasperation. He refused to admit he was incapable of tying a straight bowtie.

He takes a deep breath to calm his anger before opening the door, a smile jumping to his face when he sees who his morning visitor is.

"Good morning, James," Sofia says brightly, kissing him quickly before moving over to his bed and picking up his bowtie.

The skirt of her soft green dress flowed just right around her, making her look like she was floating on a cloud. Her hair, the picture of perfection, flowed around her in its natural waves and framed her face and the perfect shape of her curves. Her blue eyes sparkled like the sapphires in her ring, making his breath catch.

"James?" she asks, waving a hand in front of his face. "James?!"

He blinks and shakes himself out of it. "I'm sorry Sof, what did you ask?" he asks quietly.

She smiles and shakes her head in amusement. "How I still make you speechless I'll never know." She kisses his cheek. "I said, would you like my help tying your bowtie?"

He blushes. Okay, he would never admit he needed help to anyone but Sofia. "Yes, please," he answers.

She grins and steps forward, carefully tying the bowtie around his neck. "Don't worry about asking for my help, James. I'll never tell your secrets," she promises, finishing off with a tiny tug to straighten it and a quick kiss on his lips. "Now let's go before we're late for breakfast."

"Right, breakfast," he says, offering her an arm. He had almost forgotten, or maybe he had forced himself to forget about the meal.

After talking about how to tell their parents, they had to pick a when. Sofia had suggested today, a week later exactly. That gave them enough time to figure out the best way to explain it without giving them the time to psych themselves out of it. He was very close to succeeding, though.

"Why did you choose today, anyway?" he asks, leading her out of the room and to the dining hall.

"Because Mom and Dad don't have any meetings. They just got back from their business trip yesterday morning, after all, and Baileywick knows better than to schedule meetings within forty-eight hours of departure and return from a trip by now."

James laughs lowly. "It only took him eighteen years," he comments off-handedly. The laugh had calmed his nerves, nerves Sofia didn't seem to have oddly enough, and now he was eager to tell their parents.

Sofia giggles and moves a very slight bit closer. "A very funny eighteen years," she reminds him, pausing before the doors to the dining hall. "Ready?" she asks.

He nods. "Ready," he confirms, pushing the door open and wrapping an arm around her waist as he guides her to her seat.

He ignores the confused glances of their parents and Amber, though he can feel her eyes boring into his back as he pulls out Sofia's chair and leaves a kiss on her cheek before taking his seat beside her. Servants who hadn't seen what just took place came out and served breakfast to them, taking note of the confused faces of three fifths of the table as they left but saying not a word.

He lifts his spoon to hide his smile behind a bite of maple brown sugar oatmeal, sending a glance at Sofia who has done the same. Okay, this was going to be rich! To see the looks on their faces would be priceless!

"James, Sofia, would you mind telling us what is going on?" King Roland, their father, asks.

Sofia hides a giggle with the back of her hand, earning a glare from Amber, and he can't wipe the grin from his face. "Well, we've both gotten engaged," he announces. "To the loves of our lives."

"Oh Sofia, that's great news!" Amber squeals, causing him to wince from the pitch.

"To whom, if I may ask?" Queen Miranda asks, looking between the two of them.

James and Sofia share a glance before smiling widely. "Me!" they say in unison.

Their parents share confused looks, and they laugh softly. Even Amber - the biggest gossip and the one who should have seen it coming - looked shocked.

"I... But... What... How... Huh?" she asks, only prompting more laughter.

Sofia keeps giggling behind her hand while he smiles. "It's really quite simple, Amber. I asked her on her birthday and she said yes. It's not a difficult process."

Amber glares at him and he simply smiles back. While he still loved to tease her, he was far more mature now and knew when enough was enough. Especially since, while she had plenty of suitors, none of them had yet asked her hand.

Miranda and Roland look over at the two of them, and Sofia swallows her laughter immediately at seeing the somewhat stern looks on their faces. She bows her head slightly, taking his hand under the table, while he stares them down.

"Have you thought this over, James?" his father asks, tone suggesting he's a bit upset.

"Yes, father. Sofia and I have thought long and hard about it, and she agreed of her own accord," he answers civilly.

"Why are you two engaged?" Sofia's mother asks gently, love and concern in her eyes. "If it's because-"

James holds up a hand to cut her off, and Sofia looks up.

"Mother, James and I are in love. We've been together for nearly three years," she explains calmly, even if her hand trembles in his. "We have no other reason that matters. What matters is that we love deeper than brother and sister, proven by the fact that he's the only one who can relieve my fears and nightmares."

Miranda looks surprised at the mention of her nightmares and looks to Roland. "The laws?" she asks softly.

"They state that it's perfectly acceptable," James answers for him. "I did some reading before I asked, to be sure. And if neither of you object, we would greatly appreciate your blessings."

Sofia offers their parents a small smile, as does he, his eyes darting between them and Amber, who admittedly looks upset. Sofia must notice too, because she doesn't wait for an answer before standing and going over to Amber.

"What's wrong?" he hears her ask while he waits with bated breath.

His twin and his fiancé have a quiet conversation, while their parents have a silent one exchanged just through their eyes. He never got how people did that, but maybe he and Sofia could figure it out someday. He smiles wistfully. It would be perfect, when they got married. Everything would be just the way it should be.

"You have our blessing."

The sound of the adults' voices pulls him from his thoughts and he smiles again. "Really?" he asks in disbelief.

They nod, and he looks over to see a smiling Sofia hugging a less distraught Amber. He supposed celebration would have to wait, until Sofia worked her magic and Amber was calmed down and more accepting. For now, he could deal with finishing his breakfast without her right beside him. Right?

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry about the long wait. Life's been crazy for me, and even though I've had this written up for the longest time I just haven't gotten around to publishing it. Anyway, please read and review, and I'll see you all next chapter!**


	6. Chapter 5

Sofia hums softly as she brushes out her hair before bed. She would braid it, then go visit Amber for a short while. She had this nagging feeling that even though Amber had claimed everything was alright it really wasn't. She didn't like it.

Deciding it can't wait much longer, she starts down the hall with hair half-braided, continuing as she goes. She pauses and knocks on Amber's door, panic creeping up on her when there's no answer. Amber always answered right away, and if she was in the bath a maid would.

That meant Amber was in trouble, because she never left her room after dark unless it was for a family outing or something similar.

Without another thought she barges into the room, eyes scanning for any signs of a struggle. She becomes even more panicked at seeing the perfect organization that is Amber's room. Everyone expected it to be a mess, but she had always been a very organized person. So it scared Sofia that everything was where it should be, for a very odd reason she couldn't place.

Wait, not everything. There was a stray piece of paper on the vanity.

Sofia moves closer warily, heart jumping into her throat again when she sees it's a piece of Amber's own personally designed parchment, perfumed with a light scent of lilies. Her heart stops completely at the beautifully scripted handwriting.

 _Dear family,_

 _I have gone off on my own to find my prince. Please do not try to come after me._

 _Your darling daughter and sister,_

 _Princess Amber of Enchancia_

Sofia brushes away her tears and looks into the mirror. "Amulet, can you show me where I can find Amber?" she requests of the jewel softly. It had taken her a long time, but after some people in the village had gone missing she managed to find them with help from her friends. The Amulet of Avalor then gave her the power to find anyone with a simple request and a reflective surface like a mirror or pool of water.

An image makes itself known in the mirror, showing Amber on the back of a pegasus flying off towards a dark, looming castle on the horizon. Sofia draws in a breath to try and calm herself down. She knew that castle. Vaguely, but she knew it. It haunted her dreams.

 _Arcanidae_ , she thinks, picking up the note and running out of the room, not even caring that her hair isn't finished.

She runs into the opposite wing, not even knocking before entering James' room. "James, Amber's gone!" she cries, not even caring that he's only half-dressed as she throws her arms around him.

He blushes and holds her close against his bare chest. They stand there for a long time, him rubbing her back and her silently crying in his arms.

"What are we going to do, James?" she whispers a long time later.

He kisses the top of her head. "I'm not sure, but we should let Mom and Dad know," he says gently. "Did she leave a note?"

Sofia nods and shows it to him. "She said not to go looking, but James I'm worried," she admits as he reads it. "I know where she's going. It's not a good place."

James looks down at her in confusion. "How? She wrote two sentences, and neither has any clues."

She shakes her head. "Not yet. I'd rather tell you, Mom and Dad all at the same time," she says softly. "But we need to hurry."

James lets her go and throws on his pajama shirt before taking her hand. "Then let's not waste any more time," he says softly, kissing her forehead before leading her quickly to their parents' room.

This time, she restrains herself and knocks, waiting for the invite to step into the room.

Miranda smiles when they enter, but it slowly fades to a concerned frown. "What's wrong?" she asks, inviting Sofia up for a hug.

The younger woman gladly accepts, while James just kind of stands half-leaning against the doorframe.

"Amber's run away," he answers. "Sofia says she knows where, but she won't tell me how or where exactly."

Miranda and Roland exchange glances, then look at Sofia. "Where, honey?" Miranda asks gently, fingers undoing her braid carefully and then restarting it since it had loosened.

Sofia looks around the room, then back to her mother. "She's going home, Mom," she says softly.

James looks at his father in confusion, then to her. "This is her home. You said she left. Where did she go?" he asks, voice clearly a little strained with worry for his twin.

Miranda looks down at her daughter and nods slightly, still braiding her hair.

She takes a deep breath and meets James' eyes. "To Arcanidae, where my father lives," she says softly. She doesn't know how much she should tell them, meaning James and her new father, but... "She went looking for a prince, which means she might think Jonnathan is her true love, but he's all wrong for her. He..." Her voice catches and she looks down. "He'll hurt her, especially if she tells him I'm her step-sister." _Or worse, soon to be sister-in-law._

"What?!" Roland and James exclaim at the same time, both out of anger but for different reasons.

James is on the bed in an instant, stealing Sofia from her mother and holding her close, while Roland takes Miranda into his arms at seeing the hidden tears. One look tells the king he shouldn't make his wife speak about this, and he likely shouldn't ask his daughter, but he needs to know.

"How do you know this, Sofia?" he asks gently, watching as James rubs her back and stops the inevitable wave of tears with a few whispered words and a chaste kiss on her lips.

She takes a deep, calming breath. Her mother knew already, James would have found out sooner or later, and she supposed she couldn't exactly keep it from her father anymore now that Amber was in danger.

"Prince Jonnathan is my brother," she admits softly, aware of her mother's near silent sobs but choosing to continue because this is more important than stopping her pain. Their pain. "And he hurt me, before Mom and I fled the castle when I was young."

James looks absolutely befuddled and beyond angry, and Roland looks terrifyingly so. She shudders involuntarily, wrapping her arms around James and moving closer to him.

"Sofia, Mom, I thought you never lived in a palace," James comments, making Sofia blush and Miranda look up, brushing her tears away.

"No, James, we did," Miranda explains. "Sofia was only three when we moved here, and I had lived in a village before I was queen there as well. I... suppose I was hoping we would never hear of Jonnathan or Edmund again. It seems I was sorely mistaken."

"How can we even be sure that she's headed to Arcanidae, Miranda?" Roland asks. "I trust you, Sofia, but what proof do we have?"

James looks down at her, a confused but encouraging smile on his face. Not that he knew how she knew. His smile gives her strength, though, and she moves over to the mirror.

"Can you show me Amber, please?" she asks politely, and an image comes up not unlike the one before. Except, well, Amber is closer to the dark castle now even if it's been only an hour of flying. Close enough that she can make out the faded colors of the stained glass and the edges and curves of each individual spire. Close enough that fear radiates through her and she has to hold onto the vanity counter for balance.

James is quickly at her side, holding her close again, while her mother clings to Roland and cries once more. She never knew what happened to her mother in that castle, what Edmund did to her, but she could guess. And she didn't like it one bit.

"We have to get her back," she says decisively, even as her voice shakes with fear.

"I'll go, Sofia. You don't have to," James says softly, kissing her forehead.

"James, I-" Sofia takes a deep breath and turns, looking him in the eyes. "You're free to come with me, but Jonnathan is my problem. I'm not going to let him hurt my sister. And if she leaves, you need me to find her again."

He sighs. "You're right, as always," he admits. "But there is no way you're ever leaving my side while we're there. I don't trust this brother of yours."

"Neither do I," she agrees in a whisper. She looks around him to their parents and meets Roland's eyes. "We leave first thing tomorrow, Dad, unless you have any objections."

"No," he answers. "No objections. Just a request that you take two guards and stay safe. Let them do the fighting if it comes to it. Please."

It hurt Sofia to see her father so broken, and when she looked at James she could see it hurt him more. She could understand that, at least, seeing as they had a bond that stretched over more time.

"We'll stay safe," they promise in unison. They had a family and a future to fight for. There was no way either of them would miss their wedding, after all.

Miranda and Roland look up at them, the former with a watery smile and the latter with an attempt at a comforting one. Neither are very convincing, but nevertheless Sofia and James give their parents a hug and kiss on the cheek for their respective stepparent before bidding them goodnight and leaving.

As they leave, Sofia leans against James, fingers intertwined with his and head on his shoulder. "Can I stay with you tonight?" she asks, glancing up at him.

He smiles slightly in spite of the situation. "Yes, of course," he says softly. "I wouldn't have it any other way."


	7. Chapter 6

Despite neither sleeping well all night because of worry, James and Sofia were up bright and early the next morning and down in the stables within an hour. It had taken little to nothing to motivate them to pack and get dressed, not to mention travelling and trying to stay under the radar as much as possible meant they got to wear simpler clothes with only one or two layers.

Now they were awaiting the two guards that were to be sent with them, having already saddled up four pegasi so they could catch up to Amber within the day. Sofia, ever faithful, had even spent ten minutes apologizing to Minimus for not being able to take him and explaining why, of course.

Why she still kept him he didn't know, beyond the fact that they were friends and she could obviously speak to him. He wondered why.

 _Maybe it's her necklace_ , he ponders. He _had_ seen it glow faintly last night, after all, when she was showing them the image of Amber. He thinks on it a few more minutes and is about to ask her when he sees the guards.

"Finally!" he exclaims, taking the reins of the guards' horses. "We've been waiting half an hour for you."

"Our apologies, your highness," they say with a bow, causing him to roll his eyes.

"Whatever. Ever flown before?" he asks them, handing over the reins.

They both shake their head in answer and he sighs. "Well, you're going to learn very quickly how to. We're not wasting any more time. Sof, you ready?"

She nods and jogs out of the stable with her chosen mare in tow. By the time the others are out there, she's already mounted and waiting. He smiles in amusement and mounts his gelding, coming up beside her and looking back at the guards, who seem confused as to how to do the same.

He sighs. "It's no different than mounting a regular horse, boys. All you do is sit with your legs in front of the wings and you're good to go," he instructs, glad that he can hear a light giggle from Sofia.

"Yes, your majesty," they say in unison, the way only trained guards can, before mounting their steeds.

"Are we ready _now_?" James asks, eager to get flying. He can see Sofia is too, the small hand mirror in one hand as she watches Amber doing... something. "What is she up to?" he asks so only she can hear.

"Trying to make her way to the castle," she answers in a similar tone of voice. "She's caught up in brush, but she'll be there before we can catch up to her. Her mare is grazing in a clearing, so it shouldn't be too hard to at least find her general route."

He nods and looks back to see the guards sitting on their steeds. Finally. "Alright," he begins, like he had when he taught Sofia, "all you have to do is pull the reins up to take off and then pull in the direction you want to turn. You gentlemen know how to treat a steed, and a pegasus is no different. Be kind, or they'll turn on you. And pegasi have a wicked bite," he warns before he and Sofia take off in unison.

James can hear her laughing softly, and he looks over his shoulder to see the guards flying as she had her first twenty tries. She _must_ remember, and be laughing at how she had looked. Granted, it was adorable every time she pouted after falling off Minimus, even more amazing every time she got back on. And she never once gave up completely. She came close, but she didn't.

He never would have had that determination. And especially not with everyone telling him to give up.

He sighs happily, wistfully even. He admired her so much, for her inner beauty. Her outer beauty was an added bonus he hoped was passed down to their children. It would probably cause problems when they were old enough to fall in love, but that was a bridge he'd cross when they got there.

It was in the future, and he needed to be here in the present.

"James?!" Sofia cries worriedly, and he only now realizes that his mount is the only reason he hasn't crashed into a tree or anything yet.

He blushes deeply and pulls up to fly beside her. "Oops?" he offers in apology. She always made him forget where he was and who was around them. When they were together, he could only think about and see her. Which would not do well with Amber in trouble.

She smiles and shakes her head. "Amber will be entering the castle within ten minutes. She got out of the briars faster than I expected. Which means we have to be prepared for anything, including her claiming my brother is her true love. If I know her, it will be love at first sight on her end," she tells him. "If that happens, I need you to get her outside the castle. I'll keep Jonnathan busy until then."

"How will you do that?" he asks worriedly.

She fingers the handle of her small sword. He knew she wasn't very skilled with it, as it was harder to practice swordsmanship in a dress and she had insisted on learning that way.

"Any way I have to," she says with determination in her voice and fear in her eyes.

"Sofia, please, don't. I need you," James says softly, forcing away the tears in his eyes but not his voice. He's trying to be strong, for her, but it's not working like he had hoped.

She looks over at him and smiles reassuringly. "I'll be okay, James. Amber needs both of us right now. She comes first, until I know she's safe at home. Our real home."

He sighs. He had seen that gleam in her eyes. She wouldn't back down. He loved that about her, really, but he didn't think this was the time or place. The man who called himself her brother did not sound like a good enough man to even _know of_ his Sofia, the kindest, sweetest, most amazing person he knew.

"Promise you'll be careful?" he asks, eyes pleading with her.

"I promise. I'll be careful, and we'll keep Amber safe. Together," she says softly, reaching over and taking his hand.

He looks down and sees the ring on her finger, then he draws her hand up and kisses the back of it. "Good. Don't forget, we have a future, ready and waiting for our safe return."

She smiles, and even if her eyes are a little sad he knows it's genuine. She's just worried about Amber. They both are. The sooner she was home the better.


	8. Chapter 7

Sofia chews on her bottom lip nervously as she lands in a small clearing. Her eyes scan the area, falling on the mare Amber had taken from the stables. She breathes a near-silent sigh of relief at seeing the mare unharmed and moves over with her own mare in tow.

The pegasus looks up when she approaches, and Sofia smiles slightly. "Hello," she whispers.

"Hello, Princess," the mare replies. "Have you come to take me home?"

"Not just you, Mistique. We came to bring Amber home too."

The words that fell from her tongue were hopeful at best. She didn't want to lose her sister, didn't want to see her hurt. But both were real possibilities. Very real.

"Ooh, I hope you find her. She started walking towards the dark castle and I haven't seen her since. I think she's in trouble," the mare frets.

Sofia strokes her neck soothingly. "It will be okay, Mistique. James and I will get her out and home safely." _Hopefully._

As she says this, James comes up behind her and lays a hand on her shoulder. "We can't take the pegasi. It would draw attention to us, and the swords are bad enough," he says softly. "We have to leave them here."

"A-a-a-alone? Oh, please tell me you won't Sofia!" Mistique frets. "Amber left me all alone, and it's dark and scary here and I don't like it and there's no one to protect me and-"

Sofia cuts her off with a gentle hand over her mouth. "Mistique, it's going to be okay." It was beyond obvious that this was Minimus' daughter, with how worried she always was. The thought made Sofia smile again. "You won't be alone. You have friends this time. And we won't be gone too long."

"Promise?"

"I promise," Sofia confirms, loosely tying up her mare's reins on her saddle before doing the same for Mistique. "There. Now you can graze and get a drink in the nearby stream. And stay hidden in the trees, just in case, okay?"

"Okay, Sofia," Mistique agrees before moving away into the trees.

Sofia breathes a sigh of relief again and turns to hug James. He returns it without hesitation.

"I'm so worried about Amber," she whispers.

"Me too, but we're going to catch up to her and get her away from your brother. Then when we take her home everything will be back to the way it should be."

She smiles slightly and puts away her fears for now. They'd come back later when she saw her brother.

"What would I ever do without you?"

* * *

 _ **A/N: Sorry for such a short chapter everyone. My inspiration for this story is still very much alive but I had to take a break from it for a while. The next chapter will be longer I promise. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy this little section of foreshadowing. Please read and review. It really makes my day to see your kind, helpful comments :)**_


	9. Chapter 8

James holds Sofia's hand tightly as they emerge from the forest and come onto the road that led to the castle gates. Even from this distance he knew it was not a happy place to be. The design was far more medieval than their own, with nearly black stones scorched by countless fires and looming walls and towers that made it look like an impenetrable fortress.

If Sofia couldn't get them in like she had planned they were screwed. He didn't even have a clue how Amber would have even gotten in there; it looked impossible. For all he knew, it was.

She looks up at him and kisses his cheek. "It will be okay, James. I promise," she says softly, her free hand touching the pouch on her belt where the mirror was hidden, as well as something she refused to show him.

"I hope you're right," he whispers. He'd be optimistic, if he could. He was just far too worried about Amber, and about what would happen to Sofia when she was alone with her brother.

She stops walking and looks at him. "James, I can do this. I've learned a lot that will come in handy, being who I am. Trust me, Amber and I will be safe. If Jonnathan dares try anything he'll be in trouble."

He smiles slightly and hugs her. "I know, Sofia. I trust you," he promises, kissing her quickly. "Now come on, we need to get to Amber before it's too late."

She smiles and nods. "We'll be there soon," she promises softly before taking his hand again and leading the way.

* * *

The sun was just starting to set when they reached the looming black metal gates at the entrance to the castle courtyard. There was a small group of guards numbering at half a dozen, three on either side of the gate and watching them carefully. James watched in silence as Sofia stepped forward, standing tall and proud like she should be.

"Yes? What do you want?" one guard asks in a bored tone, barely acknowledging her.

"I am Princess Sofia Mirabelle Elana Vitani Ascatari of Arcanidae," she answers, voice wavering at the end.

James knew she was lying some. She was Princess Sofia Willingham of Enchancia, but he assumed that this was who she used to be. The guards didn't know this though, and he heard them ask for proof that she was in fact the missing princess, as if her full name wasn't enough.

He watches her curiously as she opens the pouch and draws out an object carefully wrapped in cloth to protect it, the shape vaguely like a tiara. His brow furrows in confusion as she unwraps the object to reveal a very, very small tiara made for a toddler. It was silver, a single amethyst embedded in the center.

"My tiara, from before my mother and I were kidnapped. I only just escaped a week ago, with the help of my friend James," she explains, motioning to him.

He gives the guards a nod, tapping his fingers against his leg to keep him from saying something. He just wished she had told him the story. Or maybe she was just coming up with it as she went. That's what it seemed like.

The guards exchange glances, then two of them open the gates. "His majesty, King Jonnathan, will be happy to know that you are alive and well."

James sees Sofia shiver slightly at the mention of her brother's name, but she hides her fear well. "Did you say King?" she asks softly.

"Yes, Princess. We regret to inform you that your father passed a few years ago," another guard answers. "You may go in, with your friends. Be warned that the King has another visitor, though, so he may not have much time for you."

Sofia bites her lip and actually does good in her acting, looking like she might cry. Granted, for all he knew they could be tears of joy. Either way he moves forward and wraps an arm around her.

"Come on," he whispers. "Let's go save Amber."

She nods and takes his hand, leading him into the castle with their guards following close behind. It's not a large courtyard that they have to walk through, but she doesn't even look around at it.

"You okay, Sof?" James asks softly, pulling her the slightest bit closer to his side with an arm around her waist.

"No," she admits looking down slightly. "My brother is King now, James. I-I don't even know what to think anymore. What..." She chokes on a sob. "James, what are we going to do if I can't get him away from Amber?"

"Anything it takes," he answers with conviction. "I refuse to let you get hurt, but we will do whatever it takes to get Amber home safely. We promised, Sofia. Not only Mom and Dad, but ourselves. All of us will get home safely."

He knew the most they had was hope and their swordsmanship. Two guards and two young royals against a powerful King wasn't much, but he was beyond sure they would get home safely. They had to. There was too much that they had to fight for. Family, love, their kingdom. All of it was important to the both of them, and all of it would fuel them to fight their hardest for its safety.


	10. Chapter 9

Sofia cracks open the door between her and James' room after dinner, catching sight of him pacing the floor. She stands watching for a moment, him running a hand through his hair every now and again. She knew why, of course. There were many things going wrong today.

Firstly, they hadn't seen Amber, or her brother for that matter. She had tried tirelessly to get the servants to at least let her see him after dinner before giving in and giving up for now. The ordeal certainly added to their worry, and it was made worse every time the servants said he was with a possible wife and not to be disturbed. They hadn't known how to interpret that.

The second thing on his mind was how much they were forced apart, even as an engaged couple. It bothered her as well, but she knew how things worked here better than he even if she had been little. She had never forgotten this place really, so she read up on the laws.

You'd be surprised what you could find in a library in another kingdom if you knew where to look. Granted, the book had been old, the letters faded and pages covered with dust, but the information was useful. Especially for this rescue mission.

That didn't mean she had to like being forced to sleep in an adjoined room, or that she would care if the guards or servants caught them in the same bed in the morning.

She moves into the room, directly into his path of pacing, and hugs him. "James, calm down," she says softly, trying to keep the desperation from her voice and succeeding for the most part. They needed clear heads, so he needed to relax. If he didn't they'd be in trouble and it might end up that not even the guards made it home.

He shakes his head and returns the embrace. "I'm sorry, Sof. I just... I'm so worried about Amber. We don't know what your brother's done with her, if she's even still here, or what could possibly happen if we don't get her out soon."

"I know," she whispers, touching his cheek. "But James, Amber isn't stupid. If it gets dangerous, she'll fight back. She may not have a sword, but my brother's reputation is very important to him, and we _both_ know how Amber can get. Trust me, as long as we're careful and get her out before she marries him, everything will be fine."

 _I hope_ , she adds to herself.

"But what about your brother? Won't he do to Amber what he did to you?" he asks gently.

Nevertheless, tears spring to her eyes. "I hope not," she breathes, burying her face in his shirt. "I really, really hope he doesn't touch her beyond the normal greeting. I'm going to kill him if he does. Well... maybe. That would mean we have two countries to rule over. I don't think I could do that," she babbles nervously.

"Shh," James hushes, running one hand through her hair. "Everything will work out alright, Sofia. I promise."

"You can't promise that!" she exclaims brokenly before sobbing. "You can't. You don't know him like I do. H-he won't s-s-stop, n-not once he g-g-g-gets her."

James holds her tighter, rubbing her back instead of running his hand through her hair. "Sofia..." he breathes, voice hurt and confused. "Sofia, what did he do to you?"

She shakes her head, holding him tighter. _No, please don't make me tell you. I won't, I can't. Not yet. I... I don't know how to tell you without you getting mad. Please, just let it go. I'll tell you when we're home and everything's okay again, I promise._

"Sofia, please tell me," he whispers, pulling away slightly and gently thumbing away her tears, looking deep into her eyes.

His jade green eyes are full of concern and worry. For her. It was understandable; she had never told him what her nightmares were about. That didn't mean she wanted to.

"James, I... H-he..." She bites her lip and looks down. "James, because of him, I probably shouldn't wear white on our wedding day."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, again, but I love cliffhangers and I couldn't help myself. I'm planning on posting chapter 10 sooner than I posted this one. ;) In the meantime please read and review. It always makes me smile :D**_


	11. Chapter 10

James was absolutely, positively livid. How a brother could even want to do that to his sister he had no idea, but he knew if that... that... He growls, eyes blazing. _No one_ got away with hurting his sister or fiancé and that was that.

If _he_ even _tried_ anything and James found out, he would die no questions asked.

Sofia pushes against his chest lightly, and only then does he realize his hold was too tight on her and he loosens it, still keeping her close. There was no way he was letting Jonnathan anywhere near her ever again. It didn't matter that they would be brother-in-laws. He didn't count them as that.

Jonnathan, to him, was worth less than dirt. Actually, that seemed to suit him. Or maybe a little worm, something everyone hated. Yes, that was it. Jonnathan was a worm speared on a thorn and lodged in their sides. That wouldn't last much longer, though, if James had anything to say about it.

He's pulled from his thoughts by sobbing and small, gasp-like hiccups for air from Sofia, and he frowns in response. "Sof?" he asks softly, touching her cheek and drawing her face up gently so their eyes meet. "Are you okay?"

She hugs her arms to her, turning her head from his hand and looking away with that action. "I-I understand, i-i-if you don't w-want to marry me a-a-anymo-ore," she says, struggling through the sobs that choke her voice.

His frown deepens and he takes her chin gently in his hand, drawing her eyes back to his once more. "Sofia, I'm not mad at you. You couldn't stop it. I'm mad at Jonnathan for doing what he did to you," he explains softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face with a reassuring smile, even though inside he's still seething. "And now I'm more determined than ever to save Amber, and to make sure he can't hurt anyone ever again."

Sofia frowns slightly, not that she had been smiling before, looking a little... was it worried? "Wh-what are you going to d-do to him?" she asks. Yes, it was definitely worried.

He's silent a moment as he fully considers her question. "Well first, we're getting Amber out of this castle. And then it all depends on if anything happened or not. I can't guarantee anything if he hurts you again, though." He hadn't meant to worry her, and he didn't want to upset her, but there was no other way to answer the question.

"Y-you wouldn't... kill him, would you?" Sofia asks softly, her eyes searching his.

James frowns in thought, then decides it's best not to answer her. He would kill Jonnathan if he had hurt Amber enough, if he hurt Sofia again, or if there was no other way to get everyone home safely. If any of those things happened, there wouldn't be another option for him.

Sofia starts crying again, pulling away from him. "P-p-promise me you won't," she begs in a whisper.

"I can't, Sofia," he says gently. "I'll protect you whatever it takes."

"He's my _brother,_ James!" she cries, and the look on her face just about breaks his heart. "I don't care what he did, he's still family, and family does not kill family."

He looks down slightly, watching her twist the ring on her finger and praying she doesn't take it off. That would be the final straw in his heart breaking, the one that breaks the camel's back as the saying goes. The look on her face was bad enough... What would he do if she broke off their engagement because he just wanted to protect her and everyone else from the monster that was her brother?

"S-Sof, I-I-"

"No, James," she says firmly, cutting him off. "We're done talking about this. I'm going to deal with my brother, and you're going to take Amber home. That's final."

He looks up. "But Sof-"

"No buts!" she orders. "I'm going to bed. We'll try to find Amber in the morning and you're not going to object when I talk to Jonnathan _without_ you."

Before he can say anything else, she's gone back to her given room and slammed the door.

"I'm sorry," he chokes out, a tear running free.

 _What have I done?_

* * *

 ** _A/N: So super sorry I haven't updated this yet everyone. I meant to back at the end of April but life threw a crap ton of lemons at me and I've only just now made a dent in turning them to lemonade. Because it took sooooo long, I've decided to post two or maybe three chapters with this update. As always, please read & review because all your comments keep me motivated to write this story._**


	12. Chapter 11

Morning came slowly for Sofia as she spent her night sitting on the bed and staring at the few objects she had brought, which were laid out in front of her. The mirror, her sword, her very old and slightly tarnished tiara, and her engagement ring. She had been reluctant to take it off at first, but she needed to see it in order to reassess her entire life up to this point. This wasn't just about her argument with James, either. It was about how she felt about herself.

Contrary to what everyone believed, she did not think highly of herself at all. It wasn't her humble nature that could be blamed for that, but the way she had felt since her nightmares returned when she was eight, then again when she was thirteen. They had yet to come back, but she knew it was only a matter of time. Now that she understood what Jonnathan had done to her, it was even worse.

She had known from thirteen on but hadn't wanted to believe it. When she had checked on Amber, she had seen the gleam in her brother's eyes, and she didn't like it. That could only have meant one thing. It had even caused her to cry out, and James would have come in if she hadn't locked the door after their fight.

She wouldn't deny she had considered killing her brother, but it was a worst-case scenario in the far reaches of her mind, something she refused to do unless she had no choice. She had no guarantee that was what James thought of it as without his denial, and it hurt. More than she had thought it would.

Sofia bites back yet another sob as she carefully puts away the tiara and mirror, the morning sunlight streaming in through the open curtains. Her fingers brush over her engagement ring, as if pondering whether or not she should put it in the pouch as well or put it back on before she pulls the strings of the pouch closed and ties it to her belt. She chews on her bottom lip as she stands and replaces her sword at her other hip.

As a finishing touch she slides her engagement ring back onto her finger with the tiniest of smiles. Today would be rough and tense between her and James, but they would come back from this. They had to, not just for Amber's sake but their own sanity as well.

She looks over at the door separating their rooms and unlocks the door before leaving her room. She would go wake James up, but not that way. She'd much rather go in the true door to his room instead, because to her it seemed less likely to upset him and she had to do this carefully.

After a nod to the guards who had accompanied them, she enters his room without so much as a knock. James was still asleep, the circles under his eyes indicating he was only in the first few hours of sleep. He had most likely restarted his pacing after she left and that worried her. That meant their fight had torn him up as much as it had her, and they had a lot of talking to do to sort it out.

She crosses the room and throws open the curtains, doubting the light will wake him but trying anyway. He stirs, but doesn't wake and she sighs.

"Of course," she mumbles, moving back to the bed and sitting on the edge, touching his cheek.

"James, wake up," she says softly, kissing his cheek.

He stirs and mumbles something that sounds like 'five more minutes' before pulling the covers tighter around him, causing her to giggle. Part of that was probably her exhaustion talking, even if he did look cute when he was asleep.

"James, you need to wake up," Sofia coaxes gently. "We need to figure out how we're going to get to Amber and convince her to leave."

He opens one eye, then immediately sits up and hugs her close upon seeing her. "I'm so sorry, Sof. I wasn't thinking last night, and I said a lot of things I shouldn't have, and-"

She cuts him off with a finger to his lips and a shake of her head. "It's not your fault, James. Right now, though, we need to focus on getting Amber home. She's going to be... reluctant, I believe," she says softly.

James frowns and runs one hand through her hair soothingly. "We'll save her. We have to," he says with determination. "I won't kill Jonnathan to do it, either."

She smiles slightly in silent thanks and presses closer. She's so tired she could just fall asleep right here, in his arms. She would if it weren't for the reason she's here and not in his room at home, married to him. Not that their wedding would have happened so quickly, but at least she wouldn't be forced away from him forever.

Sofia just felt so alone in this castle when she wasn't with him. Her prince, her James.

"You can't go to sleep, Sof," he whispers, kissing her quickly. "I'm tired too, but we're here to save Amber. That needs to be our top priority."

She sighs. "Yeah, I know," she says softly. "I just wish it wasn't like this. That we could sleep in the same bed and not have it considered scandalous when it's just harmless cuddling, that we were safe at home and Amber was helping me plan our wedding, and that we weren't sitting here helpless. I hate this, so much. I feel useless."

He hushes her quickly after that statement with a kiss. "Sofia, you're not useless, and if you dare say that again I'll get very cross with you," he says firmly, a sincere and teasing gleam in his eyes that causes her to giggle. "You're the whole reason we even _found_ Amber. Everything will be okay, I promise."

She smiles and kisses him gently, love for him clearly shown in the action as she wraps her arms around his neck. When he returns it sweetly she moves the slightest bit closer and plays with his hair for a few moments. She forces herself to pull away when her lungs burn for air, smiling and breathing heavily.

"We're all going home safely. Soon," she promises.

"Very soon," he whispers.

She lays her head on his shoulder, smiling widely despite the fact that Amber still isn't safe yet. _I'll do whatever it takes._


	13. Chapter 12

James reluctantly lets go of Sofia's hand and takes a small step away as the curtain behind the throne shifts. From behind it emerges a young man only a year his senior with black hair and dark gray eyes as hard as stone. As he watches Sofia from the corner of his eye, he can see her shiver before regaining her confidence to hide her fear from him.

He has no time to ponder the reaction or exactly how angry he is with Jonnathan before he sees Amber come up behind the King. Her face stays blank, eyes fighting between joy and annoyance at the sight of them, the air of a Princess thick around her. She seems unharmed, at least, which makes some of his anger seep from his being.

Jonnathan smiles, his eyes focusing on Sofia, something that makes James seethe again. "It's good to have you home, Sofia," he says with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

Sofia pales just slightly, keeping up eye contact. "It's good to be home, brother," she says simply, no hints of emotion in existence in her voice.

James turns his eyes from Jonnathan to Amber after that, all his focus on her even as he hears Sofia and her brother having a conversation. His twin has settled on glaring at him, obviously furious that they followed her. He smiles, lessening her anger, and then turns his attention back to the conversation between brother and sister.

"Now Jonnathan," says Sofia in a sweet voice, one he wished was for his ears only, "I know you missed me. You can stop pretending now, taking others to be yours." She moves closer to him a few steps. "Your favored one is back."

James clenches his teeth against a growl, hands fisting behind his back. He wanted so badly to strangle Jonnathan, get such a horrible man off the face of the earth, but he wouldn't. He wasn't much for violence, and he had promised Sofia he wouldn't. Besides, she had assured him she knew what she was doing.

"Amber, why don't you go entertain my sister's friend?" Jonnathan suggests. "I have thirteen years of catching up to do."

A look of shock crosses her face for a second before she nods and starts towards him. He's about to say something to Sofia, but when he looks back she and Jonnathan are gone. He sighs and looks at Amber.

"Before you get mad, it's not safe here," he says levelly, cutting off anything she was about to say.

"James, is Sofia really Jonnathan's brother?" she asks after long, uncomfortably silent moments pass. He nods and she crosses her arms. "Well I am not leaving. He treats me like a true Queen. Better than any of the boys at school ever could."

He rubs his eyes, trying not to get angry. "Amber, I just told you it's not safe. Sofia and I came all this way to take you home because Jonnathan isn't safe. We need to-"

"No, James," Amber says firmly. "Jonnathan treats me like a Queen and I refuse to leave someone like him. Besides, if he wasn't safe why did you let Sofia go with him?"

He takes a deep breath. "Sofia knows what she's doing. I trust her, Amber, and I trust you, but he just isn't safe. Even if Sofia is careful, I..." He closes his eyes for a moment before looking at her again. "Something bad is going to happen to her, to you, and maybe even me if we don't leave tonight. We have to, or I might never see you again. I can't do that, Amber. I can't lose you."

She frowns, silent for a few very long moments. "Okay, I'll go home. I hope Sofia will be okay, though," she says softly, glancing back at the curtain. "I will meet you at the gates at midnight. You had better keep her safe, James. I don't want Jonnathan to hurt her."

"I will, Amber. Trust me, if he hurts Sofia he won't get away with it."

Amber smiles slightly. "Good. I hope you have me help you with his punishment, James. No one hurts Sofia and gets away with it. Not even _you_."

He laughs. "Like I would hurt her. You know she's my whole world, Amber."

"Yes, that's true, but she will always be my little sister, no matter the relation. If she's unhappy with you I _will_ find out why and I _will_ make you fix it. Understood?"

James nods. "Yes, I understand," he says seriously.

"Good. I'll let you plan now, since I should be going. Jonnathan gave me a few gifts that I would like to take home, even if I, you know, never see him again."

James smiles and shakes his head in amusement. "Go, Amber. I'll see you at midnight."

She smiles as well. "See you later, James," she says before turning and taking her leave.

He watches her for a moment before turning to go back to his room. He knew that Sofia would find him there when she and Jonnathan were done 'catching up'. The thought made him shudder, not knowing what would happen, but he shrugs it off. Sofia knew what she was doing, so she would be okay. Everything would work out just fine.


	14. Chapter 13

**Warning: Implied Incest and Rape situation mentioned in the beginning!**

* * *

Sofia wishes she had a sword or a knife or even a shard of glass as she watches the shadows of the room lengthen. Jonnathan's old bedroom hasn't changed much aside from the fine layer of dust coating everything except the bed where she lay and the noticeable absence of anything even remotely colored. She had wondered briefly what her 'kidnapping' had done to him, but it had faded as fear took hold of her.

Its icy clutches were still very much present around her, it being the only thing that keeps her complying to his orders. She wouldn't at all if it weren't painfully obvious he was unused to being denied anything he wanted. So, grudgingly, she runs her fingers through his hair and barely resists the temptation to pull it all out until he's bald for what he's done.

"Jonnathan, I really should be going," she whispers, forcing her voice to remain as sweet as honey. "My friend will be worried about not seeing me all day, and I'm very sure you don't want to be caught."

He's silent for a moment, his stone cold eyes watching her predatorily, but she knows she's appealed to his senses. He wouldn't want anyone to know he takes many women. He especially wouldn't want that information leaking to Amber or any other maidens waiting in line to be his Queen.

The moment seems to last forever before he nods. "Go," he says simply, moving his arm from around her waist.

She smiles a purely fake smile and kisses his cheek in the most sisterly way possible, meaning just barely brushing her lips over his skin. Those gestures were reserved for James now, for the one she loves. She was thankful, at least, that he had let her get dressed when he was finished. That meant she could run right out of the room after putting on her shoes, and run she does.

She doesn't stop until she's in James' arms in his given room. He holds her tightly, keeping her close to him. Not that she minds. It feels so wonderful to be back in warm, safe, friendly arms again. Ones belonging to someone she could trust and not her brother.

He also seems to understand, without words being uttered or questions being asked, what has happened. She just hopes he still accepts her, still wants to be with her. She did it for him, so he didn't lose Amber to someone so horrible.

"I love you, Sofia," he whispers, causing her to truly smile. She doesn't know how he knew her fears, but he did.

"I love you too, James," she says quietly, holding him tighter.

They stay in comfortable silence for a few moments before he picks her up and carries her to the bed. "Come on, we should get a little bit of sleep. We have to meet Amber at midnight in the courtyard," he says softly.

She nods, finally letting the adrenaline of fear wash away. She's exhausted beyond belief, and a little hungry for having missed lunch and dinner. The prospect of sleep is very welcoming to her now, and she yawns.

"Okay," she agrees, removing her sword belt and the weapon and pouch on it. "Wake me when we need to go?"

"Of course," he murmurs, kissing her quickly. "Now get some rest. The guards already know when we need to leave as well, should I fall asleep beside you."

She nods tiredly. "Okay. Goodnight, James," she whispers, cuddling close to him.

"Goodnight, Sofia," he breathes with another quick kiss before she falls away into blissfully dreamless slumber.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Sorry for the short chapter everyone, but I didn't want to cram too much plot into one scene. I'll be posting a second to make it up to you all!**_


	15. Chapter 14

James wakes to a heavy hand on his shoulder in the pitch black darkness of a starless, moonless night. He tears his eyes from Sofia to find one of the guards looking down at him.

"Your majesty, it is time to go," he utters quietly.

James nods and dismisses him before looking back to Sofia. He didn't want to wake her when she was sleeping so peacefully, and especially not since she had been so exhausted when she came back from wherever Jonnathan took her. Some of that, he assumed, was from not sleeping well the night before, after their argument. The rest was probably from a very taxing day both emotionally and physically, though he wanted naught to do with that situation except to comfort her.

After a few moments of debate with himself, he coaxes Sofia to wakefulness with a gentle kiss. Her eyes flutter open and he smiles. Her eyes are easily what he fell in love with first, their kindness and beauty igniting a spark in his heart the first time they met his own.

"Sofia," he breathes, kissing her quickly. "We have to go. Amber is waiting."

She nods and sits up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. When her eyes are not clouded with the soft haze of sleep any longer, she stands and locates her belt before putting it on. He watches her a moment before doing the same with his own sword belt.

He feels her fingers close around his hand and he looks down at her with a small smile. She smiles up at him and kisses him quickly before leading him out of the room and through the halls. The guards they brought follow a few paces behind, giving them their space but still protecting them. Surprisingly, he was almost used to it even if they'd never had to follow him before.

It was a good feeling, knowing that there were more people to protect his Sofia.

She stops suddenly, smiling shakily up at him. "I love you, James," she whispers. "I always will."

He wonders why she stopped to tell him this now, but he smiles nonetheless. "I love you too, Sof." He kisses her quickly. "Now let's go. We can't risk Jonnathan finding us."

Sofia nods and hurries them the rest of the way through the castle to the courtyard. Amber waits impatiently, tapping her toes against the stone in an annoyed fashion. Once they're close enough, she grabs their hands and starts dragging them towards the front gates.

"If you're _going_ to force me to stay up all night and take me from my true love, at least be on time!" she exclaims quietly, glaring at him over her shoulder.

James takes no notice, instead watching Sofia. She had cringed when Amber called Jonnathan her 'true love', and that worried him. Sure, he knew what he had done before, but not what he had done this time. He had a pretty good idea though and he was not liking it.

Or the look on Sofia's face as Amber kept talking about Jonnathan.

"Amber!" he hisses angrily, causing her to stop in her tracks and cease talking mid-sentence. "Please, let's just put Jonnathan behind us for tonight, okay?"

She reluctantly nods and Sofia breathes a sigh of relief, pressing closer to his side. He holds his fiancé to him as they start walking again, this time with Sofia leading them away from the front gates.

"How are we going to get out this way?" Amber moans in confusion. "There's nothing but a wall!"

Sofia looks back at Amber for a quick moment, clearly not very happy to be second-guessed. In all honesty, he's becoming short-tempered with Amber. He was only maintaining a cool composure and clear head because of deep breathing and Sofia's presence.

Sofia too seemed to be having trouble staying civil with Amber. She was exhausted, and he wondered how Amber didn't see it with the slight circles under their eyes just how tired they _both_ were. A handful of hours of sleep in two nights was not good, let alone under twelve in three.

"Just... trust me," Sofia says quietly, hiding a yawn before she moves away from him.

James and Amber watch in confusion as she examines the stones in the wall. When she smiles, the reason becomes quite clear. With surprising silence, a portion of the stone wall descends into the earth, revealing a small stretch of open field before they meet the forest.

"This is how Mom and I got out when I was little. This castle has _tons_ of secret passageways," she explains as she ushers them all through. She takes a look over her shoulder before following and closing up the section of wall once more. "Now come on, we have to hurry into the forest. Someone could see us if we stay in the field too long."

Without even an order, one guard moves in front of the trio of royals and the other guard stays behind them as they sprint across the field. Amber kept complaining about how she was in heels and shouldn't be running, making James roll his eyes but bite back laughter. If it weren't for the fact they were escaping from Jonnathan's castle, he probably wouldn't have even tried to contain himself.

Once in the forest, they all stop for a short breather and he looks back over the field. What he had presumed to be a short stretch had actually been twice as long as perceived with an unnoticeable dip in the middle. Amber had wanted to stop there, but Sofia urged them on. Anyone looking down from the towers could have seen them if they stayed there.

"We need to find the road," James says a few moments later. "When we find it, we can follow it from inside the treeline until we find Sofia's ribbon. It's a straight shot from there to where we left the pegasi."

"I think I found it!" Sofia calls as he finishes, drawing their attention to where she stands a few feet away.

Amber rolls her eyes. "Of course. Good old Sofia, always one step ahead," she mutters, though it doesn't escape the attention of James.

Was this whole thing about Sofia being just a little bit ahead of her in a relationship? To him it seemed like a pretty stupid reason to run away, just so you weren't shown up by your little sister. It wasn't like they were getting married right away. Their engagement was more a way to secure their future together and ward off any potential suitors that would come Sofia's way.

"Hurry up," Sofia whispers desperately, clearly itching to get moving again.

 _She's been down this route before_ , James reminds himself. _When she was three. She knows how delicate and time-sensitive this stuff can be_.

"She's right. We have to be far enough away by morning that Jonnathan can't find us. Preferably back at home, but if we don't move soon that's too much to hope for."

Amber pouts. "But James," she whines, "my feet hurt from running so far over uneven ground in heels! Can't we just wait a few minutes longer?"

"No," he says firmly. "If your feet hurt that much, then one of the guards can carry you. It will slow us down some but we need to move. _Now_."

She looks back at the two men pleadingly, and the slightly taller of the two picks her up. "Come Princess, we can't have you getting hurt," he says softly, blushing lightly as she wraps her arms around his neck.

As they begin walking again, following the road, James can't help but smile. It seemed that one of the guards was at least slightly in love with his twin. Perhaps that was why he had decided to come on her rescue mission.

Sofia takes his hand again, holding it tightly and leaning against him, eyes half-lidded with sleep. "Just stay awake until we get to the pegasi, Sofia," he urges. "I can let you ride with me so you can rest, but we need to get there soon."

She nods, hiding a yawn behind her hand before she moves away just enough so that she's not leaning against him. "I know, James," she says sleepily. "It's just been a long three days."

He nods his agreement before falling silent. The rest of the walk stays that way, the sky starting to lighten as they finally reach the clearing where they left their pegasi. He looks around, starting to worry when he doesn't see them right off, but is calmed by Sofia's hand on his arm.

She moves away from him to the edge of the clearing, lets out a whistle, and soon the five pegasi are in the clearing with them. "There," she says softly, pausing for a moment and whispering something to Mistique. "Perfectly unharmed and well rested. They're ready to take us home."

He nods and looks back to the guards. "Remember, treat them kindly. It's still early, but we have to move quickly. I want to be home before noon hits at the latest. We can all sleep when we get home." He unties the reins of the pegasi, leaving them draped over each mount's back.

Without another word, everyone mounts their rides, Sofia with him at his insistence. A final safety check goes around, Sofia's mare agrees to follow them at her request with a nod, and then they take off for home.

* * *

 _ **A/N: So I hope having these two chapters makes up for my really slow update times. Ad I know it seems like they got away easy, but this story is far from over, and Amber's disappearance was only the start of the conflict. I hope everyone will stay tuned!**_


	16. Chapter 15

Sofia wakes in James' arms as he carries her through the palace, feeling mostly rested now after sleeping on the way home. It would take her a little more than just some sleep to get over what had happened, though. Like cuddling with James for a week or so.

She has to remind herself that he won't love her any less for what happened, especially not when she couldn't have stopped Jonnathan. That didn't mean it wouldn't feel like a betrayal of his trust until they talked about it.

He smiles down at her and stops in the middle of the hall, setting her down. "I was going to take you to your room, but I guess now you can ch-"

She cuts him off with a gentle kiss that lasts a few moments. "I want to come with you," she says softly, taking his hand in hers. She doesn't say anything more, but her eyes portray her need to be with him, for comfort.

He nods, still smiling gently. His hazel eyes that she loves so much, greener to her than they are brown though everyone says otherwise, are rimmed with purple circles from exhaustion. His hair is disheveled, his clothes wrinkled. If she hadn't been with him, known what he had gone through, she would say he'd just gotten out of bed and was waking up.

She had been, however. She knew that wasn't the case. So she hugs him tightly, because while he had been so tired, just as drained as her, he had let her rest all the way here instead of letting them take shifts. Words couldn't describe how much that gesture meant to her.

It's a long time before she pulls back from the hug, seeing confusion and love in his tired eyes. "Come on, let's get you to bed," she says softly, dragging him the rest of the way to his room.

He doesn't even protest, too tired to even change into pajamas before falling into the bed. She smiles slightly and shakes her head in amusement before laying beside him and cuddling close.

"Go to sleep, James. I'll be right here," she promises.

He smiles slightly and gives her a quick kiss. "Sweet dreams," he murmurs sleepily.

"Sweet dreams," she says on a light giggle, laying her head over his heart as they both fall away into dreams.

* * *

Nearly a whole day passes before Sofia wakes again, still in her travelling clothes and James' bed. She smiles slightly and runs her fingers through his soft golden hair, bringing a small smile to his face as he sleeps. Right here, in this moment, all her problems just seem to melt away. This was the young man she would be married to someday. On that day, everything would be perfect.

He stirs slightly, but she hushes him and sings softly until he goes back to sleep completely. Then she gets up and stretches, feeling more rested than ever before. It was understandable after sleeping a whole day, but that didn't change the fact that it felt good to just be able to have that relaxing twenty-four hours to recover from the trip.

No, not trip. Rescue mission. A frown crosses her face at the reminder. Jonnathan. Out of all the places Amber could have chosen to go, all the young Kings and all the Princes she could have fallen in love with, it had to be him. It left a bitter taste on her tongue, and she really just wanted to avoid Amber altogether for a few hours, maybe another day or so, but she couldn't. It would be rude.

She glances at James again, recalling her promise to be right there, but she was hungry. Her stomach rumbles softly, punctuating her need for food. A glance at his mantle clock tells her that lunch will be served any minute now, and she licks her lips in anticipation of the meal.

First, though, she needs to change. She kisses James' forehead, promises to bring him back a little something for when he wakes up, and then hurries to her room. A quick five minute bath refreshes her and gets rid of all the dirt on her body from the forest, and the stench of sweat from her skin as well.

Afterwards she changes into a sky blue dress that's very simple for belonging to a princess, very little decorating the skirt and bodice. It was perfect for just a day around the castle to relax and recuperate, maybe spend time with her family. Her stomach rumbles again and she blushes lightly, hurrying down to lunch and coming in only a few minutes late.

Her mother and stepfather look up in slight surprise, while Amber tosses a glare her way before turning back to her salad. Sofia blushes lightly again and takes her seat, a servant promptly placing a salad in front of her not two minutes later. She thanks them, and they bow before leaving as she takes her first bite.

"So Sofia, where's James?" her mother asks with a smile.

"He's still sleeping. It was a long few days, so I didn't dare wake him." She pauses to take another bite of her salad, loving the flavors that dance across her tongue. The chefs always seemed to amaze her. "I'm going to take something back for him, for when he wakes up."

Miranda nods and the dining room descends into silence as the occupants eat their lunch. Amber is the first to excuse herself, leaving her half-finished salad at her place with the simple excuse of not being hungry before hurrying from the dining room. The adults look at Sofia questioningly and she sighs softly.

"She fell in love with Jonnathan at first sight, like I feared she would," she answers them. She knew how grief could kill an appetite, and Amber had made sure to blame her for getting in the way of her happy ending on the way back here many times, before they got to the pegasi.

She looks down at her salad, finding her own appetite waning after Amber's exit and reaction to seeing her. Didn't she understand that Sofia wanted to see her safe and happy, that she had done what was best? Jonnathan hadn't changed one bit - his power as King actually making him worse - but she had to remind herself that Amber didn't know what he had done to her when she was a toddler.

"Sofia?" Her mother's gentle voice breaks through her thoughts and draws her eyes to Miranda's. "Sweetie, you need to eat. You've had nothing for a full day. We can sort everything out later once James is awake, alright?"

"Alright Mom," she agrees, finishing her salad in record time even as she takes proper bites. "I'm going to go to the kitchen to get that food for James."

Her parents nod and she leaves immediately for the kitchen, leaving her plate in favor of being back with James as soon as possible. The head chef looks faintly surprised to see her, but she simply utters a 'thank you' for the salad before going about her task.

Less than fifteen minutes later, she's back in James' room. The covered tray sits on his desk for when he wakes, but right now she's just curled up close to him with her arms around him. The fact that Amber was so cold towards her hurts her, more than she'd like to admit. She had worked so hard to impress Amber so they could start acting like sisters, and now all of that was just... gone. Like they were back to day one.


	17. Chapter 16

James lays on the edge of full consciousness for a time, enjoying the slight awareness it gives him. The feeling of Sofia's arms around him is well known to him, but there's something about this embrace that makes it different, yet still common.

For starters, it hadn't been there a few moments ago when he first started to wake, meaning she was awake and had probably gotten food. It was also tighter, her body closer to his and the embrace itself seeming almost desperate. In this one gesture, she begs for comfort and peace of mind, like every time she had come to him after her nightmares.

He wraps his arms around her gently, holding her close as he blinks away sleep completely and looks down at her. "Are you okay, Sofia?" he asks softly, one hand running through her hair gently and undoing some of the tangles there.

She looks up at him with a small smile, her sorrow instead in her eyes. "No, but I'm glad you're awake. You should eat something before we worry about me though."

He frowns ever so slightly, then sighs and sits up with her still in his arms, forcing her to do the same. "Alright, but only because I'm hungry. How long was I asleep?"

"Twenty-four hours, give or take about a half hour," she answers, prying herself from the embrace to retrieve the silver tray from his desk. "It's mostly fruit and a few slices of bread. Lunch today was a salad and I didn't want it to spoil in case you were asleep for a few hours longer."

"After a full day? I'm surprised I managed to sleep that long," he admits, causing Sofia to giggle.

"We were both very tired, James. I slept a full day as well, and I got rest on the way here."

She sits on the bed beside him and sets down the tray, which he immediately goes to work on. She stifles another giggle with her hand as she watches, and he manages to slow himself down some even though he's starving.

"So, how's Amber doing?" he asks after a few moments.

Her face falls instantly and she looks down at her hands. "Still blaming me. She wouldn't even look my way during lunch except to glare, and she excused herself a few minutes after I went down. She hates me again, James."

"No, she doesn't," he says, quick to assure her and stop the very thought from growing more. "She's just a little upset because she doesn't fully understand. I'm fairly certain she only agreed to come because I guilted her into it. She just needs a little bit of time. You know how Amber can get."

"Yes, but I don't think just time is going to fix this. You heard her as we left. She thinks Jonnathan is her true love, and I... I took that from her, James. Who am I to say whether love is real or not? We've found it, sure, but that doesn't mean I know everything about it."

He frowns and cups her cheek in his hand, drawing her eyes to his. "Sofia, we did what was _right_. Does Jonnathan love her?"

"No. If he did he wouldn't have..." She trails off, tearing up, and he kisses her quickly.

"That should be proof enough, Sofia. Jonnathan doesn't love her. We did the right thing by bringing her home. Love can be hard to find when you're a royal, always marrying for duty. _Especially_ for a princess. But you and I both know it's possible, and what she felt couldn't be genuine. There's just no way she loved him with less than a day to get to know him."

She nods and moves closer to him with a quiet sigh. "Mom and Dad would like to talk to all of us, now that you're awake. About what's going on with Amber," she says softly. "If I were you, though, I'd get a bath. They can wait a little longer."

James frowns. "Are you saying I stink?" he asks, feigning a hurt expression.

"Welllllll," she says playfully, wrinkling her nose. "We have been in the woods, and you look very dirty. So yes, if that's what it takes to get you into a bath, you do stink."

He sighs. "Oh, fine. Pick me out something to wear, will you? I'm too tired to care right now."

She giggles. "Yes your majesty," she teases, kissing his cheek. "And shall I be prepared to tie your bowtie as well?"

"Of course, Sofia. You know the routine," he jests right back. He grudgingly stands and goes over to the bathroom door. There was one last thing, though. "Once you've gotten my clothes can you wait outside? Please?"

She nods. "Of course. Trust me, I know how you are. I should, seeing as we'll be wed in a year or two."

 _Or sooner,_ James thinks to himself with a small smile. "Thank you Sofia," he says before disappearing.

* * *

 _ **A/N: So sorry for the long wait and short chapter! As an apology, I'll be uploading three chapters for you all.**_


	18. Chapter 17

Sofia waits outside James' room, her legs crossed beneath her and hidden under her skirt as she sits outside his door. She had laid his suit out on his bed, but now she was left to her thoughts. Just because James said Amber didn't hate her, it didn't mean it was true. Sofia knew from past experiences that Amber could be very good at holding grudges, and that made her fear that their good relationship was all in the past just increase tenfold.

She shifts her position so her knees are held to her chest and rests her chin on them. She felt on the verge of tears again, her heart aching. To have Amber hate her and Jonnathan do what he did, within hours of each other, was far too much for her to handle right now.

She wished more than anything that she and James were embracing so that she could cry into his shoulder and no one would have to see. As it was she was struggling to swallow the large lump of tears in her throat so James wouldn't discover her crying when he came out. There were far too many things weighing on her.

Vivid flashbacks from when she was a toddler flicker before her open eyes, so much worse than the nightmares of the past. She had to bite her trembling lip and close her eyes not to let her sorrow be seen. She felt so weak right now, and she knew she shouldn't feel like that for needing comfort after what's happened, but she couldn't help it.

Sofia still felt like she had made a mistake in going after Amber without her asking for help. No one should judge what another person feels, and she had done just that. She takes her amulet in her hands and looks down at it. It hadn't glowed... so maybe she didn't do anything wrong after all. Or maybe it was a gray area and only time would tell. She didn't know.

She felt like she didn't know anything anymore.

She must have also lost track of time, or fallen asleep for a short while, because the next thing she knows a hand is on her shoulder. "Sofia, are you okay?" James' gentle voice asks as he kneels beside her.

She bites her lip and wipes away a couple of small tears. "N-no, but I will be. Let's just go talk to Mom and Dad... and Amber," she whispers, standing and not even really noticing that his bow tie is tied and straight.

"Okay..." he says hesitantly, wrapping his arm around her shoulders comfortingly and leading her to the main tea room. Most of the family meetings were held there now, since the only time they could really happen was in the afternoon.

She was actually kind of thankful they'd be in there. She could distract herself by looking out the windows, or staring at the fireplace, or drinking tea. She wouldn't have to look at Amber and feel even more hurt.

* * *

The room is uncomfortably silent, James and Sofia cuddled close on one of the couches and their parents on the other in a similar position. Amber sits alone in a chair, looking at King Roland instead of anywhere near Sofia.

"You wanted to speak with us, Daddy?" she asks politely, her voice laced with a scornful ice.

"Yes, Amber. Your mother and I don't appreciate you running from your problems. I'm sure we've said this countless times before. You are all royal. Part of that means facing your problems no matter what."

Sofia forces herself to sit up a little straighter, though still close to James for comfort after the whole ordeal. Even though the words were mostly directed towards Amber, it was still a wake up call. It made her think about what she and her mom had done.

Had they run from something that could be fixed if they confronted it? No, no that didn't seem right. There was no way talking could have changed Jonnathan. He was horrible from the beginning. As long as she had known him, even if it wasn't all that long, he had been nothing but the worst brother ever towards her.

"Sofia?" A voice breaks into her thoughts, shattering them like glass.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Mom. Were you saying something?"

"Your father and I were hoping you and Amber could talk about what happened, with the entire family here to prevent a fight. It's no good for sisters to be arguing," Miranda explains, glancing at a furious Amber.

"Okay... but I'm not sure what went wrong," she admits, looking towards Amber.

"Not sure what went wrong? Why you...!"

"Amber," Roland warns, the elder princess' face turning bright red in anger.

"It's not _fair_ Daddy! She gets everything! She got one of the prettiest necklaces in the entire castle when she was _adopted into_ the family. You give her all sorts of attention but never, ever have time for me anymore. She even got a Prince before me! _I'm_ supposed to be the eldest. _I'm_ supposed to be your favorite daughter. _**I'm** supposed_ to get married first! **_I'm supposed_** _to be **Queen** first!_ "

Sofia wraps her hand around her amulet, keeping her face perfectly calm and controlled even though inside she wants to run and hide away for a few hours to revisit this when she's feeling better. "Amber, I don't think you understand," she ventures, only to be stopped by a heated glare from the elder.

"I understand perfectly well. You're still trying to prove to me that you're fit to be a Princess. I thought we were over this, Sofia. I accepted that I wasn't getting rid of you a long time ago. You don't need to show me up anymore."

"A-Amber..." she whispers, completely shocked and utterly devastated.

"Amber, you are jumping to far too many conclusions here," Miranda says calmly. "Both James and Sofia have been spending time with your father and I because they are interested in how best to run a kingdom. We've offered the same opportunity to you, but you've declined many times. We're simply trying to teach them so that when your father and I step down from the throne the kingdom is in good, capable hands."

"So the hands of a conceited Princess are good, capable hands?" Amber asks snidely, crossing her arms.

"I should think not," their father says harshly, angry eyes turned to Amber. "And you, Amber, are one of the most conceited Princesses in the history of Enchancia. I am appalled at your continued behavior towards Sofia, who is ten times the Princess you are. Frankly, I am not surprised no Prince has asked your hand. You are not fit to be heir, which is precisely why, unless something tragic happens to James, you will not have any part in ruling this kingdom."

"Daddy..." Amber whispers, shocked.

"Dad's right, Amber," James says coolly. "Even when you were trying to be kind to Sofia, you've been nothing but rude. I'm actually almost surprised no one said anything to you sooner. How you learned nothing from her I'll never know." He stands and offers his hand to Sofia. "Come on, let's go. I don't think this is going anywhere good."

Sofia takes his hand and stands as well, but she looks at Amber hopelessly. "I'm sorry," she whispers to her before she leaves everyone in the room in silence.

The moment she's alone in one of the dark wings of the castle, tears start to stream down her face. She was innocent in most things, oblivious to rude behavior, but now that James and even their father had pointed out Amber's behavior as being such she couldn't help but cry. Amber really, truly hated her for who she was.

She didn't want to change, and she didn't think she had to but... She couldn't deny that Amber had hurt her deeply. She sniffles and wipes fervently at her tears as she finds an old, slightly dusty bedroom that looked like it belonged to a young child. She crawls into the bed and curls up under the thick, warm blankets, turning them into a cave around her to embrace her and keep her warm.

She didn't even want James right now, and as she cries herself into the darkness and torture of her nightmares, she's almost glad they're back ten times worse.


	19. Chapter 18

James could not deny the anger and worry building up in his heart as he glared down at Amber. She was standing now, but even with her in her heels he was a good three inches taller. To top that all off, she had just made his lovely Sofia run away with tears building in her eyes. His mind was racing through hundreds of insults before he would no doubt race after his Princess and comfort her through her tears, but he couldn't find one fitting enough for such a horrible person as his sister just was.

He grits his teeth and keeps her locked in a staredown, one which she was trying to cower out of. He couldn't think of anything hurtful enough to say that wouldn't earn him a tough lecture from his father after everyone had cooled down, but would also hurt Amber enough to warn her away from Sofia.

Nothing, except one word.

"You are a selfish, hot-headed, conceited _pig_ ," he says lowly, barely fighting the urge to add a physical slap to the mental blow before he simply turns around and leaves the room.

Once he's outside the tea room, he starts to think about where Sofia might go. The obvious places seemed to be either his room or hers, where her new rabbit Rose would likely be waiting. She could have also gone to the garden, or the stables, or even the observatory. With a sigh he starts searching the castle for her.

Except he doesn't have any luck in any of the places he had initially thought of. He frowns in concern as he enters the stables, only to find it devoid of his love. "Did she go to the village?" he wonders, knowing that she hadn't seen Jade and Ruby in a while, or told them of their engagement.

Thinking that maybe she had gone to them for solace he saddles his gelding and quickly flies off to the village.

* * *

James feels worry squeezing his heart as he leaves Ruby's house. Neither she nor Jade had seen Sofia since she last came to visit them, and after a barrage of questions he was worried that he was losing precious daylight. The sun, which had already started its downward arc when he left the castle, was now almost to the earth. If Sofia was anywhere outside the castle walls she could be stuck in the dark until morning, without him.

He looks up at the moon that's already started to show and sighs. "Oh where are you, Sofia?" he questions the sky as he mounts Fiero.

He doesn't know why he expected an answer, but after a minute of nothing he takes flight back to the castle.

* * *

Upon arrival he leaves his prized pegasus with a groom and takes the stairs two at a time into the castle. Everyone is bustling about, seeming frazzled, and he supposed they were searching for Sofia. Which meant she was still missing. His heart clenches again in worry and he quickly joins the search.

All the well-used corridors had been searched already, something he found out when he ran into Baileywick in his hurry. All bedrooms were covered too as the sky grew darker, and as time wore on his worry only grew. He knew Amber had hurt her, but enough that she would run away? That didn't seem like his Sofia.

When his father calls everyone to the throne room he has to be dragged by one of the guards that had also been searching. He glares at Amber the entire time, but she can't meet his eyes at all. She knew, just like he did, that this was her fault.

As such, he doesn't hear what his father has said until the very end. "And so, I want you all to get some rest. The search for Sofia will continue in the morning. I'm sure she's just taking some time to be by herself, so let's not worry. If she isn't back by breakfast, then we will restart the search. Understood?"

Everyone nods and filters out, leaving him standing there staring at his parents. "You mean you want me to just brush this off as nothing?!" he exclaims in disbelief.

Miranda walks over to him and puts her hands on his shoulders, looking up at him a little to meet his eyes. "James, it won't do you any good to keep searching through the night. There's no light except for candles, and I know Sofia. She'll be back."

He pulls away from her, frowning deeply. "I know Sofia too, and she was really hurt. I don't think she will be," he whispers.

His father walks over and puts a hand on his shoulder, a grip James would never dare try to escape from behind his hand. "James, your mother is right. With how quickly she disappeared, and the fact that no one saw her, she must still be in the castle. She'll still be here in the morning, so just relax and try to get some sleep. You can go back to looking first thing."

He sighs and bows his head. "Okay, I'll try," he murmurs.

"Good. Now go to your room and rest, we'll see you again at breakfast," Miranda says soothingly, hugging him loosely to comfort him before they all go to their respective rooms.

Except his bed would feel very, very empty. He had gotten used to holding Sofia at night, and now she was nowhere to be found.

He knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Alright, this is the last scene I'm uploading today. I hope this makes up for taking so long to get new chapters out! I've had them done but access to a computer/internet has been a little spotty, and life's been crazy. Hopefully updating will get more consistent.**_


End file.
